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‘Astonishing discovery’ of massive prehistoric circle near Stonehenge

Posted by in Human World | 11 hours ago

An ancient circle of deep trenches has been found near Stonehenge. Scientists say the newly discovery site offers insights into the lives of people who lived in the area 4,500 years ago.

Colorful bursts in night sky with text annotations.

How do fireworks get their colors?

Posted by and in Human World | 2 days ago

Many, perhaps most, fireworks displays have been canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Still, it’s fun to contemplate the fact that the beautiful colors in fireworks – so good at stirring our emotions – are created by chemistry.

Check out this sloth robot

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 2 days ago

SlothBot is a slow-moving and energy-efficient robot that can linger in the trees to monitor animals, plants, and the environment below.

Stunning images of the night

Posted by and in Earth | Human World | 3 days ago

See the winners of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) 1st annual photography contest.
Asteroid Day 2020 poster.

Asteroid Day, June 30, live from Luxembourg

Posted by in Human World | Space | 5 days ago

The 6th annual Asteroid Day will be held as a digital event on June 30, 2020. It’ll feature presentations with experts, panel discussions, and question-and-answer periods. Here’s how to participate.
Two images of astronauts in spacesuits

Watch ISS spacewalk July 1

Posted by in Human World | Space | 5 days ago

On Wednesday, July 1, 2020, 2 astronauts will perform the 2nd of a pair of International Space Station (ISS) spacewalks, to replace aging nickel-hydrogen batteries. How to watch.

10 great places to see meteor showers in the US

Posted by in Human World | Space | 1 week ago

Looking for an awesome place to watch meteor showers in the U.S.? AccuWeather – and the editors of EarthSky – recommend these 10 places.
Mountain, lake and blue sky.

Plastic rain: More than 1,000 tons of microplastic rain onto western US

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 2 weeks ago

New research finds that microplastics are emitted into the atmosphere.

Photo of stars above the Sahara

Will large parts of Earth be too hot for people in 50 years?

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 2 weeks ago

Inhospitably hot regions on Earth occupy about 0.8% of the globe now. New research indicates that – if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated – these regions may expand to something more like 19% by 2070.
People on a stage singing with open books.

Covid-19 spreads through the air. That’s a big challenge for reopening

Posted by in Human World | 2 weeks ago

Clear, straightforward information on how a virus spreads, from a scientist who studies infectious disease

Celebrate solstice sunrise at Stonehenge live online

Posted by and in Earth | Human World | 2 weeks ago

This year, solstice celebrations at Stonehenge monument are canceled due to Covid-19. But for the 1st time, you can celebrate the 1st sunrise of summer from Stonehenge online.
A rounded field of view, with the sun obscured behind a disk to mask its brightness, and 2 small comets (with short visible tails) moving near the sun.

SOHO’s 4,000th comet

Posted by in Human World | Space | 2 weeks ago

This week, a citizen scientist spotted a never-before-seen comet in data from the sun-observing SOHO spacecraft. It was SOHO’s 4,000th comet discovery. Learn more and watch comets sweep near the sun in this video.
Woman with headphones in cockpit.

Sally Ride: 1st American woman in space

Posted by , and in Human World | Space | 3 weeks ago

Ride was the 1st American woman to go to space, flying on the STS-7 space shuttle Challenger mission in 1983, and later on another mission in 1984.

Artist's colored drawing of 3 balls, appearing to orbit each other. One ball, the pulsar has jets extending from either pole. Below them, a mesh-like structure indicates the amount of space they each curve.

Dance of 3 stars confirms Einstein’s ‘most fortunate thought’

Posted by in Human World | Space | 3 weeks ago

Researchers in Europe have now confirmed the universality of free fall – which Einstein called his most fortunate thought – with extremely high precision. To do it, they spent 8 years tracking a triple star system containing a millisecond pulsar.

Who was the 1st woman in space?

Posted by and in Human World | Space | 3 weeks ago

On June 16, 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched solo aboard a Soviet Vostok 6 rocket, becoming the first-ever woman in space.
A spacecraft, with what looks like a large camera "eye," with the sun in the background.

ESA’s Solar Orbiter made its 1st close approach to the sun on June 15

Posted by in Human World | Space | 3 weeks ago

Solar Orbiter swept as close as 50 million miles (77 million km) to our sun’s surface. Now scientists are at work testing the spacecraft’s 10 science instruments, including the 6 telescopes on-board. New images, to be released in mid-July, will be the closest of the sun ever captured.

Artist's concept of people marching in a Black Lives Matter protest.

Scientists to strike on June 10 #ShutDownSTEM #Strike4BlackLives

Posted by in Human World | 4 weeks ago

EarthSky is joining the grassroots effort to #ShutDownSTEM and #Strike4BlackLives on Wednesday, June 10. Thousands of researchers around the world have pledged to pause their work on Wednesday to support the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement and efforts against racism in the scientific community and society at large.

Rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues unabated

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 4 weeks ago

NOAA reports that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) measured at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory for May 2020 was the highest monthly reading ever recorded.

Pacific Ocean with some clouds, with the Earth's terminator visible in half the image.

Happy World Oceans Day 2020

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 4 weeks ago

Why a World Oceans Day? Consider that Remdesivir, an antiviral medication now undergoing clinical trials as a possible Covid-19 treatment, contains compounds found in sea sponges. Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean is the theme for World Oceans Day 2020.

Scientists identify cleanest air on Earth

Posted by in Earth | Human World | 1 month ago

Researchers say they’ve identified the cleanest air on the planet – free from particles caused by human activity – over the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica.